Sentir Rural, in collaboration with ACOBIJA Conservación y Vacuno de Pastoreo, is promoting two new guided tours in Aranda de Moncayo on September 5th and 12th: one dedicated to International Vulture Awareness Day and the other to the prevention of large fires through managed and planned extensive livestock farming and grazing.
Aranda de Moncayo (Zaragoza) will host two new guided tours on Saturdays, September 5th and 12th, organized by Sentir Rural in collaboration with ACOBIJA Conservación y Vacuno de Pastoreo . The tours are free, require prior registration, and will run from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., departing from the Hermitage of San Roque. Space is limited to 20 people per session.
The first event, on September 5th, coincides with International Vulture Awareness Day and will be dedicated to the historical link between these birds and livestock farming. Spain is home to around 90% of the European vulture population, making it primarily responsible for their conservation on the continent, and Aranda de Moncayo is one of the few places where all four species present on the Iberian Peninsula can be observed together: the griffon vulture, the cinereous vulture, the Egyptian vulture, and the bearded vulture. Furthermore, this is a particularly vulnerable group of birds: globally, around 70% of vulture species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered, according to the IUCN. During the event, the ecosystem services that these birds provide free of charge to the land will be explained, including the sanitary cleaning of the countryside and the control of diseases among wildlife and livestock.
The second session, on September 12 , will address the role of well-planned extensive grazing and livestock farming in preventing large forest fires. Managed grazing keeps pastures open and reduces available fuel, creating a mosaic of vegetation that slows the spread of fire. In contrast, land abandonment is one of the factors that most exacerbates the spread of large fires. The most effective model is known as cascade grazing, in which different livestock species—cattle, horses, sheep, or goats—coexist and share the work across the different vegetation layers: some graze the grass and herbaceous plants, while others control the scrub and undergrowth. Together, they achieve a better-managed and more fire-resistant vegetation mosaic than any single species could achieve on its own.
On both days, participants will explore the area with cattle farmer Ángel Escorihuela, of Vacuno de Pastoreo, and his extensive cattle and horse herd, with guided stops for vulture observation using binoculars and the opportunity to talk with him about his daily livestock and mountain management. The activity also includes visits to elements of the municipality's traditional pastoral heritage—cattle trails, corrals, and water sources—and a tasting of local meat products and other regional specialties.
Both days are designed as Participatory and accessible activities, open to all types of audiences —families, couples, groups of friends and people of any age— without the need for prior knowledge about nature, livestock or birds.
Saturday, September 5th
Sunday, September 12
Hours: 10:30 - 17:30 h.
Meeting point: Hermitage of San Roque, Aranda de Moncayo - https://maps.app.goo.gl/53tK64b4i653SfN1A
More information: https://acobijaconservacion.org/2026/08/17/buitres-y-pastoreo-moncayo/
https://www.sentirrural.es/visitas-guiada-del-patrimonio-natural/
Places limited to 20 people per day.
Registration: https://forms.gle/vBDPpz3yAj35BiTo8